Lot Essay
Soapstone (talc, also known as steatite), is among the softest of stones used by Chinese carvers and is workable directly with a metal blade while much harder materials require lapidary work. It was mined in various parts of the empire and was found in a range of often spectacular colors. The most sought-after stones were those with attractive coloring and with a translucence that revealed inner texture, as in the present material. The most precious of all soapstone is known as tianhuang (field yellow), from Fujian province, which resembles the present material in color and texture, but is mined in a different part of the country.